Discrimination Approaches with Age

As the global population ages, so does the prevalence of age discrimination. The number of age related complaints tend to increase at the time of a recession; in recent years, the number of age-related complaints to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has increased. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 was put in place to prevent age discrimination in the workplace, but the issue is becoming more common. Age is a protected class and it is unlawful for employers to discriminate against workers and job applicants based on age. Many companies choose to lay off older workers in hopes of cutting costs, since more experience would correlate to a high salary. After termination, older workers face the brutal task of finding another job in a world where research suggests age discrimination is perhaps more prevalent than sex discrimination or discrimination based on race.

AARP reports shed light on the serious concerns of older workers. Older employees who face harassment and receive suddenly poor job reviews have more than the fear of losing their job to worry about. Discriminatory hiring practices put severe limitations on older applicants, who have the immense challenge of even making it to the interview process. Assumptions about older workers made by the general public and employers fuel age discrimination. These assumptions may be: older workers have physical limitations, can’t efficiently use technology, or are rigid and set in their ways. In an effort to dodge discrimination during the application process, older job applicants find they must mask their age and years of experience and qualification. Age discrimination affects all races and all genders; discrimination based on age ignores the positive qualities that older employees can bring to a work environment, such as experience, work ethic, leadership skills, and patience.

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